By Richard Beale …
After being on the back foot for most of the match and already 2 goals down, Esentepe launched a spirited comeback scoring a late goal and dominating the last 10 minutes and injury time but failed to find an equaliser for them to steal a point.
Result : CİHANGİR SK 2 ESENTEPE KKSK 1.
Saturday November 10th, 2018: K-Pet Super League : Chiangir Stadium.
Cihangir SK v Esentepe KKSK
New Coach Necati Tilki’s first game in charge ended with a defeat making it 5 consecutive losses for Esentepe, but there were encouraging signs for him to work on.
Esentepe recalled Ahmet Karal after being suspended for disciplinary reasons and switched midfielder/striker Mehmet Çil to partner central defender Hasan. Kaan, who was taken ill before the match, was on the replacement bench, the Captain arm band went to goalkeeper Ali Karal.
It was an untidy start to the match with both sides seemingly to have left their shooting boots in the changing rooms as a number of efforts went either high over the bar or wide.
It was noticeable for Esentepe that lone striker Odi Henry was being given more help than previous matches as Ahmet, Muhammed and Sane tried to give him support.
Also Esentepe were employing an “offside trap” which were “risky” tactics as Esentepe defenders struggled to employ it.
Cihangir’s three African players Omodiagbe Victory, Uche Sunday and Nnameka Uzor were becoming more influential as the game wore on.
Cihangir took the lead in the 26th minute when Uche Sunday slotted a pass through to VICTORY, with Esentepe defenders hesitating and appealing for offside the Nigerian winger fastened onto the ball and slotted it past Ali. 1-0.
Esentepe left back Mahmut Amasaylı was coming under increasing pressure and Cihangir were dangerous when Victory was on the ball on the right hand side.
Cihangir were awarded a penalty in the 33rd minute when a superb ball from Firat split open the Esentepe defence, Goalkeeper Ali came racing out of his goal and brought down Erol as the player tried to round him. Ali was booked but he made amends by bringing off a brilliant save, flinging himself to his left to claw away Ertan’s penalty.
Esentepe Goalkeeper Ali brilliantly saving a penalty
38 minutes Esentepe were indebted to their goalkeeper again as he made a brilliant double save from point blank range to thwart firstly Uche Sunday and Nnaemeka.
46 minutes : Esentepe’s offside trap was sprung again this time from another good pass from Firat, Victory shot over the bar from a good position.
Esentepe were very fortunate to go into the break only one goal down. 1-0.
The second half continued in the same pattern as the first half with Cihangir piercing the Esentepe defence time and time again and only goalkeeper Ali stopping them.
He could not prevent Cihangir increasing their lead in the 51st minute as Esentepe defence was cut to shreds again. Firat made inroads, passed to his right to Uche Sunday whose low cross found an unmarked NNAEMEKA to score easily 2-0.
It looked like Cihangir would score more goals but suddenly Esentepe with nothing to lose pushed men forward and started to create chances. In the 59th minute substitute Kaan and Ugurcan combined well down the left before the latter put over a cross to the far post where Ahmet’s shot was deflected for a corner by goalkeeper Tugcan.
80 minutes Esentepe substitute Burak sent over a cross from the right finding Mehmet Çil who was now playing as a forward, he looked to be offside but play continued, the experienced player turned and got in a shot that Tuğcan managed to block.
81 minutes the player was not to be denied, when Esentepe following a good long pass from Sane which found MEHMET ÇİL, who scored his first goal for Esentepe with a superb shot into the left hand corner of the net. 2-1.
Urged on by their supporters Esentepe threw men forward and Cihangir were reeling as the away team pressured constantly.
87 minutes a Kaan cross from the left was met by Şahın whose effort brought a scrambling diving save from Tuğcan.
With Esentepe committing men forward they were always vulnerable to the quick breakaway and Cihangir should have made the game safe but were let down by poor finishing.
Still Esentepe attacked Sane fired just wide and even goalkeeper Ali came up for late corners as Esentepe threw everything at the Cihangir defence.
Cihangir breathed a huge sigh of relief as the final whistle blew and left Esentepe with broken hearts again. FULL TIME SCORE : 2-1
Video match highlights courtesy of Graham Procter-Brown
